UEFA EUROs 2024: Star players to watch

With the UEFA EUROs officially kicking off today, Showmax looks at some of the star players from each EURO team who will be featuring at this year’s spectacle.

There will be an array of talent on display, with both experienced and young talent eager to make their mark in the tournament.

Albania

Kristjan Asllani and Mario Mitaj are two players to look out for in the Albanian team. While Asllani is experienced for his country, Mitaj is a 20-year-old who has been making waves in the footballing world. The left-back who began his career in Greece with AEK Athens is now at Lokomotiv Moscow. He started seven games in qualifying and head coach Sylvinho believes that he can be the breakout star of a breakout tournament for a breakout footballing nation.

Austria

It would be no surprise if Ralf Rangnick’s starting XI didn’t contain a single player under the age of 23, but even at 24, Romano Schmid counts. Schmid came through the Red Bull system after leaving Sturm Graz at 17 to join RB Salzburg, established himself in Werder Bremen’s midfield during their promotion campaign in 2021-22 and may well play as the most advanced of three central midfielders in Germany.

Belgium

With Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Leandro Trossard and Yannick Carrasco all 29 or above, Belgium’s attack is crying out for creativity.

Jeremy Doku is one of the young attackers to watch. He has already made the move to the Premier League; while PSV winger Johan Bakayoko might be next. He has vastly improved his output for both assists and goals over the last season.

Croatia

The standout name in the Croatia team has to be Luka Sucic, a creative midfielder at RB Salzburg who provided eight assists and three goals in 22 league appearances last season. However, Croatia’s manager may opt for experience and prefer to use the likes of Luka Modric, so will he be given the minutes he deserves?

Czech Republic

Adam Hlozek of Bayer Leverkusen has been tipped to have a great Euro tournament judging by his fine performances for his club team. Hlozek is the young star of Czech football, but it would be no surprise if Martin Vitik soon followed him from Sparta Prague to the Bundesliga. He’s a 21-year-old passing central defender who only made his full international debut last November but started in a back three for the recent 7-1 warm-up friendly win over Malta.

Denmark

While Manchester United may not have had the season they hoped to, a shining light in their campaign came from young Danish attacker Rasmus Hojlund. All eyes will be on Hojlund this tournament to see if he is worth the hype. Victor Kristiansen is another player to look out for. He became the most expensive sale in Danish Superliga history when Leicester City paid around £17m for him in January 2023.

England

There will be an array of talent in this young English team who are listed as the favourites to win the tournament. All eyes will be on the likes of Jude Bellingham, Eberechi Eze, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Kobbie Mainoo, and Trent Alexander Arnold. But special mention needs to go to Adam Wharton, who went from the Championship’s bottom half to a major tournament in the space of five months and deserves recognition.

France

France has an array of stars at their disposal too, with the likes of Eduardo Camavinga, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Youssouf Fofana, Kingsley Coman, Kylian Mbappe and Kolo Moani all ready to take centre stage in Germany. But eyes will be on one particular young player, Warren Zaire-Emery, who is the youngest by almost three-and-a-half years. He started more than half of PSG’s league games last season and is heralded as the leader of a new, homegrown movement in Paris.

Georgia

Gabriel Sigua has the chance to live up to his hype during this year’s EUROs. He left Dinamo Tbilisi for Basel last summer at the age of 17 for a fee of around £500 000, and the expectation was that it would take a couple of years for him to break into the first team. Then he played 17 times in the league, scored three times and persuaded Willy Sagnol to include him in his final squad for Euro 2024 despite his only senior caps coming as a substitute in friendly wins over Mongolia and Thailand. Sigua is more than four years younger than anyone else in the squad.

Germany

Two players who are expected to light the EUROs on fire are from the German team. Jamal Musiala of Bayern Munich and Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen have been creating havoc in the Bundesliga and are expected to do the same for their country at the EUROs.

Wirtz has been sublime this past season, having provided 11 goals and 11 assists in Bayer Leverkusen’s invincible title win. Rumours suggest that Real Madrid are already sniffing. Wirtz could feasibly lift Germany to the next level in their home tournament.

Hungary

Yet another Premier League player will have eyes on him at this year’s EUROs. This time, Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez could help propel Hungary in his teams chase for European glory. Kerkez’s ability to overlap at speed makes him the perfect modern full-back, potentially the best of his age group in that position in world football. Captain of Hungary, Dominik Szoboszlai, will also be relied on to help his team push for glory.

Italy

Since his move to Inter, Davide Frattesi has established himself as Serie A’s super sub and this has persuaded Luciano Spalletti to give him the same role in Italy’s squad. Frattesi won’t start, but don’t bet against him scoring a crucial late goal along the way. Gianluca Scamacca and Nicolo Barella will be relied on for the fire power upfront for Italy.

Netherlands

Xavi Simons is one of the hottest young properties in Europe right now. PSG will be regretting their decision to let him go on loan, with the youngster shining for RB Leipzig in the past season, finishing joint-second for assists in the Bundesliga. Simons has been linked with a move to Barcelona.

Poland

When you have a player like Robert Lewandowski in your squad you always stand a chance of doing well. Poland’s attack and game plan will be built around Lewa, but youngster Michal Probierz could add the energy needed by the Polish team. Kacper Urbanski, the 19-year-old attacking midfielder will also be under the spotlight.

Portugal

Portugal is blessed with an abundance of talent and may shock a surprise at this year’s EURO’s. Just like in several previous EURO’s, Portugal will look to their star, Cristiano Ronaldo to push them to the finish line. They will also look for experience from seasoned defender Pepe. Manager Roberto Martinez might however be tempted to give young prodigy Joao Neves a few starts in Germany. The Benfica teenager can play as a number 6 or take the ball higher up the pitch to link attacks. A dark horse to be named Young Player of the Tournament at silly odds.

Romania

Tottenham Hotspur player Radu Dragusin is undoubtedly one of the main stars of this year’s Romania EURO team. Florinel Coman is another player who could impress. The 26-year-old has been dubbed the “Romanian Mbappe”.

Scotland

Tommy Conway and Billy Gilmour are the two young Scottish players to look out for, while experienced players such as Captain Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney, John McGinn and Scott McTominay will be heavy relied on in Scotland’s EURO campaign this year.

Serbia

Dusan Tadic is still the primary creative threat of the Serbia team, but Lazar Samardzic might be his heir apparent. The attacking midfielder – who can also stay out wide – plays his club football for Udinese but scouts from at least two Premier League clubs have kept a keen eye on Samardzic’s progress.

Slovakia

Youngster Tomas Suslov could be a breakout star in this year’s EUROs. Suslov is a diminutive attacking midfielder who was Hellas Verona’s best player during their successful fight to stay in Serie A. There is at least one qualifying slot up for grabs in Group E and Slovakia need creativity to improve upon EURO 2020.

Slovenia

Slovenia are going to try and defend their way to points in Group C. Their success will depend upon the excellence of Jan Oblak and the ability of Benjamin Sesko to score goals on the counterattack. Sesko is a product of the Red Bull conveyor belt and has been linked with a massive summer move to Arsenal.

Spain

Another EURO young player could very well be Barcelona’s generational talent Lamine Yamal. Should he step onto the pitch in EURO 2024, he will become the youngest player in the competition’s history. Lamal has already scored twice for his country, has played in 10 Champions League games and, most ludicrously, already has more senior caps than nine players at Spain’s disposal. If you’re good enough, you’re old enough. Eyes will also be on midfield maestro’s Pedri and Gavi

Switzerland

The only forward in Switzerland’s squad with more than 10 international goals is Breel Embolo, who is still fighting to get fully fit after a cruciate ligament tear followed by a thigh strain. Dan Ndoye could be the person to step in. Experienced players such as Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka will also be relied on.

Turkey

Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz are two youngsters who will have the weight of the nation on their shoulders. The two have already earned moves to Real Madrid and Juventus respectively. Another youngster who could shine is Semih Kilicsoy. Kilicsoy only made his debut on 4 June against Italy but is on the plane because he scored 11 league goals in only 20 starts for Besiktas this season despite only turning 18 last August.

Ukraine

Despite being a flop for Chelsea, last season eyes will be on Mykhailo Mudryk’s as one of the stars of the Ukraine team. Mudryk together with Georgiy Sudakov are arguably Ukraine’s most talented players.

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